By Mike McGraw
Executive Director
If after reading this story you fully understand the system, we can guarantee you two things. First, you can pass the mathematics section of the sixth-grade ISTEP test. Secondly, you could pass any class offered to basketball players at the University of Georgia.
Seriously, this system has been developed to reward athletic departments for performance in the four areas we listed when we announced the award: competitive success in IHSAA tournament events, the development of outstanding individual athletes, the development of athletes who are also outstanding students, and fan support.
Keep in mind that the scoring system is purposely designed to give smaller schools a legitimate chance to compete against their larger counterparts.
Ok, without further ado � Prepare to be utterly confused.
Team competition
According to IHSAA statistics, the two sports with the largest number of schools competing are basketball for boys and volleyball for girls. In those two sports, team points will be awarded on the following scale:
State championship = 100
Semistate championship = 75
Regional championship = 50
Regional runner-up = 35
Sectional championship = 25
Sectional runner-up = 10
Sectional game victory = 5
The number of points awarded for a state championship in all other sports will be based on the number of schools competing in that sport as compared to the baseline sports mentioned above.
For example, there are 67 percent as many schools that compete in girls golf as there are that compete in volleyball. Therefore, a state championship in girls golf will be worth 67 points, and the number of points given for lower levels of accomplishment will be adjusted accordingly (in this instance, by multiplying x .67).
This scale will be used for all sports, with one minor adjustment coming in sports where competition is not head-to-head between two teams. In those sports (cross country, for example), additional runner-up points will be awarded through third place at the semistate level and through fifth place at the state level.
Development of athletes
In those sports where individual state champions are crowned, points will be awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis for state meet-level finishes. It is important to note that these individual points will not allow a school to receive more points than what a team victory in that sport is worth. For example, if a school wins the girls golf championship and also has individuals finish first and second, that school will not receive additional points simply because that would give the sport more weight in the overall competition than it deserves.
In addition, five points will be awarded for an athlete being named as a first- or second-team all-state selection, with one point awarded for honorable mention. These points will be awarded in addition to any team points scored in a sport because these points can be awarded evenly for all sports. The all-state list used to determine these points in all sports will be the one announced by the coaches association.
Academic performance by athletes
Five points also will be awarded for any athlete named to the first- or second-team academic all-state teams, with one point for honorable mention. Again, the lists used will be those compiled by the coaches association in that sport.
Fan support
Beginning in October, fans will be able to log on to HoosierAuthority.com and vote for their favorite school. One point will be awarded for every 100 votes a school receives, up to a maximum of 30 points. No school will be allowed to increase its total in this area by more than 10 points after May 1, 2006. This is to prevent ballot box stuffing at the last minute.
OK, there you have it. When your head stops hurting, you will be happy to know that we will keep you updated on the scoring throughout the year on HoosierAuthority.com. There is one point we want to clear up right away, though.
We understand that some sports are contested in a class format while others are not. However, since we didnââ?¬â?¢t invent class sports — and as long as the IHSAA calls these victors state champions — we arenââ?¬â?¢t going to argue about it.
So what do you think? Share your thoughts in our forum.
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